Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Ms Nonceba Mhlauli, will on Tuesday visit the community of Saldanha Bay to assess and assist with ongoing disaster relief efforts.

This visit forms part of Government’s coordinated response to recent disasters affecting the area, and will be undertaken in partnership with humanitarian organisation, Gift of the Givers.

Details of the visit:

Date: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Time: 15h00 – 16h00
Venue: Middlepos Community Hall, Saldanha Bay

Deputy Minister Mhlauli will engage with affected residents, local leaders, and relief teams to ensure urgent needs are met and to provide support to ongoing recovery efforts.

Media RSVP & Enquiries: Mandisa Mbele, Head: Office of the Deputy Minister in The Presidency, on 082 580 2213 / mandisam@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Tuesday, 01 July 2025, lead the Clean Cities and Towns integrated service delivery programme in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality near Welkom, in the Free State Province.

Launched last month in Gauteng, the Clean Cities and Towns campaign is a nationwide initiative aimed at fostering cleaner, greener, and more inclusive urban and rural spaces, while encouraging citizens to come together for community cleaning activities throughout townships and villages. 

It is envisaged that the service delivery initiative will not only promote cleaner surroundings but also cultivate a sense of community spirit, volunteerism and pride among residents.

Additionally, the campaign also builds on the Deputy President’s commitments made at the SALGA Lekgotla earlier in the year to address both environmental and socio-economic challenges faced by municipalities as part of a broader service delivery drive by Government within the context of the District Development Model.

As part of his visit to the Matjhabeng Municipality, Deputy President Mashatile will embark on a guided tour of the Renergen Tetra4 Facility. The visit aims to provide him with first-hand insight into the operations of the Helium Gas Plant and its contribution to the local and national economy.

The Deputy President will interact with both workers and management of the facility.

The second leg of the Deputy President’s visit will take place at the Thabong Water Treatment Plant, where he will assess the project's progress toward completion. The plant is vital in improving sanitation services for communities in Thabong East, Thabong Central, Riebeeckstad, and Bronville.

On the last leg of this Integrated Service Delivery and Cleaning campaign, the Deputy President will join members of the community in a number of activities including pitching potholes, road marking and other cleaning services in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality.

Deputy President Mashatile will be joined in the Clean Cities and Towns Campaign by the Premier of Free State Province, Mme Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae; Representatives of Provincial and Local Government; Executive Mayor of Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Cllr Thanduxolo Khalipha, Executive Mayor of Lejweleputswa District Municipality, Cllr. Veronica Ntakumbana and senior government officials.

Details of the campaign are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Time: 09h30 (Media to arrive 09h00)
Venue: Matjhabeng Local Municipality Main Building, Matjhabeng, Free State Province.

Media wishing to cover the service delivery programme must please RSVP with Mr Tshediso Tlali (Matjhabeng Municipality) on 072 133 4424 or Bongani Majola (Presidency) on 082 339 1993.

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

At the invitation of the President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón of the Government of Spain and United Nations Secretary - General António Guterres, the South African government, led by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Hon. Ronald Lamola will lead South Africa’s participating delegation to the 4th International Conference on the Financing for Development Summit that is taking place in Seville on 30 June 2025 - 3 July 2025. 

This conference aims to address new and emerging issues in financing for development, including the need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reform the international financial architecture.

President Ramaphosa has delegated Minister Lamola as the Head of Delegation for the Summit following recent political developments that require close monitoring and management in the country. 

South Africa’s participation at the Summit aligns with its G20 Presidency objectives of solidarity, equality and sustainability in complementing and supporting the Summits’ goals of reshaping the global financial system in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

On the margins of the 4th Financing for Development Summit, South Africa will convene a side event under the theme: “Forging a common agenda to achieve debt sustainability in developing economies”.
 
South Africa seeks to advance through cooperation and collaboration, sustainable solutions to tackle high structural deficits and liquidity challenges and to extend debt relief to developing economies which disproportionately affects countries in Africa.  

This event will bring together leading voices from various debt-related initiatives to identify synergies and areas of convergence. It will seek consensus and highlight solutions that enjoy broad support.

South Africa's delegation to the 4th International Conference on the Financing for Development Summit comprises the Minister in the Presidency for Planning , Monitoring and Evaluation Hon. Maropene Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister of Finance David Masondo and senior government officials. 

 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President- media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

On 25 June 2025, I removed Mr Andrew Whitfield from the position of Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition in terms of section 93 (1) of the Constitution.

It is not common practice for the President of the Republic of South Africa to provide reasons either for the appointment or dismissal of Members of the Executive. However, due to several unfortunate statements and outright distortions by a number of people, especially Mr John Steenhuisen and Mr Whitfield himself, it is necessary for me to make a public statement on the circumstances surrounding Mr Whitfield’s removal.

Mr Whitfield was removed as a Deputy Minister because he undertook an international visit without the permission of the President.

His travel to the United States was a clear violation of the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive. This requirement is known to all Ministers and Deputy Ministers. These rules and established practices were expressly communicated to all members of the Executive during the induction sessions at the commencement of the 7th administration. 

These rules and practices were repeated in Cabinet in March this year by me as President. All international travel by members of the executive must always be undertaken with the express permission of the President. 

This practice is rigorously observed and adhered to by all members of the Executive. However, Mr Whitfield deliberately chose to violate this rule and practice.

Prior to the removal of Mr Whitfield, I informed Minister John Steenhuisen as the leader of the Democratic Alliance that I had decided to remove Mr Whitfield from his position as Deputy Minister and that I expect him to present to me for approval a replacement for Mr Whitfield from his party as the DA is entitled to a Deputy Minister as agreed.

In that discussion, Mr Steenhuisen informed me that Mr Whitfield had been expecting that he may be dismissed on the grounds that he had undertaken an international trip without the President’s permission. 

This expectation, along with a perfunctory letter of apology that Mr Whitfield wrote to me following his travel to the USA without the required permission, indicated that he was aware that his actions had violated the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive.

During my discussion with Mr Steenhuisen, he asked me if there was precedent for the action that I intended to take in relation to Mr Whitfield. I informed him that there was indeed prior precedent.

I told him that in 1995, President Nelson Mandela dismissed the late Deputy Minister Madikizela-Mandela and that in 2007 President Thabo Mbeki dismissed then Deputy Minister Nosizwe Madlala-Routledge on the grounds of undertaking international travel without permission. 

Given all these circumstances there is consequently no reasonable grounds for Mr Steenhuisen and the Democratic Alliance to issue ultimatums and threats when the President exercises his constitutional prerogative and responsibility. Nor are there any grounds to try link this with matters that have no bearing on the conduct of the former Deputy Minister.

There is really no basis for suggestions that the dismissal of the former Deputy Minister is related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of members of the Executive of the Republic of South Africa.

While Mr Steenhuisen asked that he be allowed to brief the Democratic Alliance Federal Executive prior to the removal letter being delivered to Mr Whitfield, this would have had no bearing on my decision. It is the responsibility and the prerogative of the President to determine the timing and manner of the appointment and removal of Members of the Executive.

I am amazed at Mr Steenhuisen’s intemperate reaction to the removal of Mr Whitfield. He knows very well that the blatant disregard of the rules and practices that govern the international travel of members of the executive is a serious violation that should not be permitted. 

It is unprecedented in the history of our democracy that the exercise by the President of his constitutional prerogative and responsibility with respect to a clear violation of rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive has met with such irresponsible and unjustifiable threats and ultimatums from a member of the executive.

Let it be clear that the President shall not yield to threats and ultimatums, especially coming from members of the Executive that he has the prerogative to appoint in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria